Found two now, what are they... ?

[Canadian Cossack]

While hunting a river/lake system in Nova Scotia I've been lucky enough to locate a couple of sites that have yielded several coins from the early 1800's, flat buttons and other early relics. Records suggest these areas have seen continous traffic since the early 1700's. The sites however are not very remote and I find stuff lost from all periods by fishermen, kids, hikers and others who continue to vist these historic riverbanks and lakeshores.

One odd item in particular has turned up twice now. In both cases these things were found within 20 feet of early 1800's coins (most likley campsites). They are made of iron, but I thought they'e be more corroded if they dated back that far.

The second picture shows one still in situ. It has some kind of hemp twine wrapped around one side of it. It had a large root growing through it so I left it there.

Can anybody suggest what these things are?

Any comments apprecaited, thanks for looking!

 

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[Ascholten]

it's an early block and tackle it seems.

 

[re-tek]

seen something like this used for climbing ropes. you wind the rope around and its for controlling your descent.

 

[Jim West Pa]

seen something like this used for climbing ropes. you wind the rope around and its for controlling your descent.

THAT'S IT !!!
you got it re-tek, i knew i seen 'em somewhere before. When i was sporting goods we sold climbing gear. Those must be quite old tho cause they're all made of aluminium now.

 

[Lafitte]

I agree. A rappel loop.




Also, the twine may have been used as a "hand-brake". There's a variation still used today.

That's my 2 wheats

 

[Canadian Cossack]

You folks are presenting a good case for it being a "rappel loop"

I figured they must have had something to do with canoeing or camping given where they were found. Anther person suggesting they were from some kind of logging equipment...

I still find it surprising to find not one, but two of these things when there is nothing around here to climb (except may a tree).

I really apprecaite the comments, thanks!

 

[Ascholten]

might be one of those tree handsaws.

take like a piece of barbed wire, two handles and run it back and forth on a tree to cut it down, kind of like a reciprocating chainsaw thingie back then.

aaron

 

[boggle]

Look to me like the steel ends you put on a rope for tyeing off to a pier or a tree??

 

[Canadian Cossack]

Lots of good ideas here, but I'm not sure if we can call this one solved yet... ?

For those who may not be fluent in our centimeters, here is another picture to help show the size of these things...

 

[Ascholten]

they still look like some kind of grappling hook thingie for rope.

Ive seen similar where they are on like a pivot at where they cross, and the large end, they close almost like scissors, you can clamp them over something and a rope goes through the eye... not sure

 

[Canadian Cossack]

Hi Ascholten,

You might be onto something. While playing with this one to take the last picture, I've discovered that it too still has bits of a hemp twine embedded in the corrosion on the "long" side.

Whatever they are they were both lost with rope, or twine, still on them... ?

 

[Ascholten]

Ive seen something like this before for tents. Ok you put the tent up, it has rope through eyes in the canvas of the tent, the other end of the rope is tied through the eye of this thing. The large end, you hammer your tent stake into the ground, and open your thing and clamp it through the eye or around the tentstake to hold your tent up. that way its easier to work with and no need to be tying / untying knots every time you camp... and how they got lost, easy. people lose tackle / gear all the time when they are camping, especially if they are packing up in a hurry, ie it's storming lets get the hell out of here or it's still 0'dark 30 out.

Aaron

 

[Old Dog]

CC,
Think it is an anchor for a horse line.
Tie one end to a tree and anchor the other to the ground, tie the horses on the line with a loop. this allows the horse to move freely up and down the line for graze and water as needed.

Check the spot again, the pin that holds this piece down is like an 18 inch J Hook> it will have hammer marks on the curve of the J.

This is considered one of the more humane ways of tethering a horse rather than using hobbles.

OD